The Bonds of Duty
by PrincessofBadLuck
Summary: Larsa feels that his duty toward Archadia will not allow him to be with his true love. Her friends however, have a very different opinion in the matter.


The news of Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor's engagement sounded throughout Ivalice. Not even the endless expanse of skies was without the buzz of the royal announcement. So, it should not have come as such a surprise, when a certain warrior queen of Dalmasca stormed into his personal study a mere hours after the announcement had been made. She was followed by almost everyone that made up the party that he was a part of eight years ago. All except one.

Vaan, true to form acted first and asked questions later. Though if he'd had more sense he would have thought more upon the consequences that punching the Emperor of Arcadia could have on a wanted sky pirate. These thoughts of course, never crossed his mind. "What do you think you're doing _Lamont, _he spat the name at the still reeling ruler, hurting Penelo is bad enough, but you're actually going to marry someone else?"

The blond looked as if he were preparing to strike again, but thankfully Basch restrained him.

"My Lord, he said between trying to control Vaan, please think upon your actions first and for once think about what it is that you wish, not everyone else."

The lady Ashe then stepped forward, intending to finally voice aloud what the entire group had been feeling. Balthier and Fran stood in silent agreement to what she was about to say. Even Vaan had quieted down enough to voice his unspoken agreement to whatever it was Ashe was going to speak about.

She was blunt.

"You are a fool Larsa Ferrinas Solidor."

He blinked,

"Excuse me?"

She fixed him with a glare that could have melted the entirety of Mt. Bur-Omisace,

"You have thrown away something that most people wait for their whole lives; and some never find it."

Ashe sighed,

"You should treasure what you have found while it lasts, not cast it away in the name of duty and your so called 'honor'."

Larsa had finally understood why his ex-comrades had evaded his personal study.

"My lady Ashe-" he begin to say but was cut off.

"Do not 'lady' _**me**_! This is not some political meeting where the most important thing being discussed are the taxes for next year!"

She took a deep breath and attempted to calm herself but failed.

"You threw away the love of a good woman because of some honor or duty you thought you had to this empire."

She sent him another scalding glare.

"How in the world would marrying the woman you loved and not some hand-picked floozy from the Senate affect anyone's life but your own?"

Ashe threw her hands down,

"Why must you bow to the wishes of a group of men who are not even a tenth of the man that you are? They did not save Ivalice from a war that would have torn it to pieces. They did not survive countless trials, before restoring peace to a broken land."

She paused before continuing on,

"Do not speak to me of your duty. The only duty you have is to yourself and that poor girl Penelo. Didn't you promise once long ago that you would protect her? That it was your duty to House Solidor?"

He flinched at those words, and tried to speak but was silenced again by the Queen of Dalmasca.

"You said that the men of your family were taught to place the needs of others before their own. Have you even thought of what Penelo's needs were? That she needed proof of the love you say you hold for her? Did you even for a second think of how she must have felt, living in the palace with you and feeling like nothing but a cheap mistress? And then to finally hear, not from you, but from palace servants that you intended to marry another?"

Larsa, by this time was feeling more horrified and ashamed at himself than anything but the good queen was not done.

"A coward is what you are, unwillingly to say no once, to a country that owes you everything."

She turned to leave,

"By the way, she called to the shame faced emperor, Penelo is currently crying in my room back in the palace of Rabanastre. If I were you, I'd go fix things with her, **now**."

She fingered the sword that hung at her hip meaningfully before she and her companions took their leave.

Penelo snuggled closer to her husband in bed as he recounted the story of how he proposed to her.

"Did Ashe really threaten to hack you to pieces?" she asked.

He shivered,

"Yes, she did indeed, it can never be said that the Lady Ashe does not get her point across."

She laughed and kissed him before bounding out of bed to start a new day. Larsa smiled, he was many things, but a coward was not one of them.

**3 Author's Note 3**

**This one-shot was inspired by a beautiful but terribly sad story called "On a Path I Cannot Follow" by DigitalTart. If you like Larsa and Penelo pairings this is a ****must**** read. Even if you don't, you really should read it because it is so wonderfully written. That is the kind of writing people should aspire to. **

**Anyway this story came about because I'm a sucker for happy endings. Also I know that if one of my friends was in a position like Penelo's I would not hesitate to beat the day-lights out of any idiot that would have given her up because of a stupid reason like "honor" or "duty". So consider this what I would have done in her friend's positions. What can I say? The butt kicking and group of people ready to jump Larsa? It's all part of living near the East Los Angeles area ;] **

*** Oh and I haven't given up on "The Legend of the White Rose." I'm just trying to get all these things done before I start college. (Including learning how to drive; another crazy asian driver on the road! Hahaha jk jk) Hugs and kisses to Azure Sora and ****XlittlexninjaX24**** some of the sweetest (and most patient) reviewers out there, and thanks to any and all of my reviewers in general. You guys make writing even more fun than it already is. **


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